In a significant development, the Georgia Court of Appeals has put a hold on the high-profile election subversion case against former President Donald Trump and eight of the 18 co-defendants. The hold applies only to defendants who requested the removal of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office from the case due to concerns about her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, whom she initially chose as the special prosecutor. Wade was forced to step down due to concerns over potential conflicts of interest and questions about his impartiality.
The stay will remain indefinite until a panel of judges makes a critical decision on whether to disqualify Willis from the case. A review by the appellate court is underway to determine if Willis's participation could compromise the fairness of the trial.
Willis brought charges against Donald Trump and 18 others, alleging attempts to subvert the 2020 election results in Georgia. The trial has drawn national attention due to its implications on the integrity of the election process and impact on the high-stakes 2024 presidential election.
CNN continues:
The new order filed on Wednesday from the Georgia Court of Appeals is the latest indication that a trial in the state-level Georgia election subversion case will not occur before the 2024 presidential election.
The appeals court is expected to rule on the disqualification issue by March 2025, though it could issue a ruling sooner. Several sources close to the case have told CNN that the timeline remains very uncertain.
Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee had initially allowed proceedings in his courtroom to continue as the appeals court weighed an appeal of his decision to allow Willis to remain on the case.
In March, McAfee ruled that no conflict of interest existed that would warrant the exclusion of Willis from the case. Despite this ruling, McAfee granted a request from Trump and his co-defendants to appeal his decision.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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